Beautiful Girl
by thecowscumhome
Summary: Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger have always hated each other, however as events in Hogwarts take drastic changes, both Head-Boy and Girl WILL learn to co-operate, and possibly co-habitate. This is a journey of how two seemingly different people, may tur
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Friction and such. 

"Hermione Granger of Gryfindor, the new Head-Girl of Hogwarts! "

That incredible proclamation resounded within Hermione's ears and made her spin in joy. She clasped her hands in jubilation as her friends filed around her to dish out their felicitations.

" And our new Head-Boy is Draco Malfoy of Slytherin!"

At once wolf cries and shouts resounded from the Slytherin table. Draco sneered while his entourage thumped him on his back, congratulating him. " Ohhh… I'm so happy for you Draccie!" Pansy Parkinson squeaked.

Draco winced inwardly at her mouse-ish voice. He carried on glaring at Hermione, knowing full well that she could feel his gaze on her back. He was determined to be a stumbling block for her, not only that but to cause her problems while she was serving her post with him. If she was going to be his partner in being Head-Boy, he was going to make her suffer.

Hermione tried painfully to avoid Draco Malfoy's glaring, smoky eyes. She really did not want to be Head Girl with THAT particular Head Boy, but she was not going to let this amazing opportunity pass her by. Harry and Ron both gave her huge hugs to let her know how happy they were for her. "Always know you could do it Herms!" Ron commented.

"Hermione! Head Girl! No surprise there!" Ginny Weasley said with wide brimmed smiles.

Hermione could say nothing else (which is rare for her) but smile and laugh happily as the celebrations continued. The floating candles which lit the Great Hall were sparkling especially brightly that night. She looked up towards the ceiling and up into the purplish-blue skies. Her eyes were shining brightly, just like the stars which illuminated into her heart.

As the festivities drew to a close, the school headed for their respective dorms. Lingering behind was Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny. Ginny was clutching onto Hermione's cold hands. "I don't know how I'll bear it without you to gossip at night!"

"You'll be fine Ginny, there's always Lavender and Luna." Hermione tried to comfort her. Truth was that while she was excited from her fingers to her tippy toes, she couldn't help the trepidation which crept to her thoughts when she dwelled on the fact that she would be sharing dorms with Draco Malfoy, in close proximity despite having separate rooms.

Ginny squeezed her hands once more and told her to "go get 'em!" and to "do her darnest best!" Harry and Ron made arrangements to meet for breakfast. They smiled at her warmly and entered the Gryfindor dorm.

There she was, alone now. Head Girl. How she had anticipated the day when she would receive the honor. She hugged her arms to her bosom and smiled herself silly. Breaking out of her trance, she skipped to the Head Girl and Boy dorm. Giving her password, she entered the room.

"ARGH!!"

Hermione fell face first into a painful pile of crocodile-skin suitcases and trunks. "Ow… What in Merlin's name…"

"Granger! Get your filthy mudblood hands off my property!"

There could only be 2 people in the world to speak to her like that. First, was her cousin Dandy Granger, her 3 year old cousin with an attitude. A horrible attitude at that. Of course instead of calling her a mudblood, he usually called her Pig. "Pig, pig pig!" She shook herself to shake off the memory. The second person was of course, Draco Molfoy. She sighed inwardly and averted her eyes sideways. Pursing her lips, she lifted herself up and dusted her skirt. She screwed her face into an expression which displayed disgust, as if she just fell into a Pigpen. She turned her palms slowly to face her, slowly, following which, her face changed with every second from a look of disgust to horror.

" Malfoy Dirt!!" she squealed, "I'm done for! Done for!!" With that, she ran into her room screaming in mock horror, her ultimate insult to date for Malfoy.

Draco stood there with his eyes bugged out. For once in his life, he could not think of a single comeback. With a snap of his fingers, his trunks and cases floated obediently into his room. As he turned to retire for the night, he spotted a smaller case which had split open. One of its gold hinges twisted as if it were smashed. The case had contained a few insignificant articles of clothing. Feeling suddenly both generous and vengeful, he took the case and rapped on Hermione's door loudly till she opened.

"What is it Malfoy?!"

"I don't want what your filthy mudblood hands have touched." He said with spite. He tossed her the small case and stormed off full speed into his own sanctuary.

Hermione took the case into her room. It was exceptionally beautiful. It was crafted with genuine crocodile skin and edged with 24-carot gold hinges (one of which she had un-hinged) and monogrammed with squiggles and flourishes and, of course, Draco's initials, D.M. It was wonderful workmanship. The stitches were barely showing. She opened the case and sniffed it. It even smelled expensive! The fine leather work cushioned and protected the contents. It smelled of rich leather and strong yet subtle cologne. Much like sweet poisonous flowers, yet with a manly musky hint. Reminding herself that this was probably Malfoy's personal scent, no wait, smell, she shut the case with its contents and slipped it on her desk, making it her goal to fix the hinge and return it to its original owner.

It had been a long day. Slipping off her Hogwarts attire, she slipped into her old, ragged towel robe and headed for the bath. Just as she was about to enter, she spotted a new black silk robe dangling from a package. It was a gift from her mother before she left for the new school year. Well, as this was a special occasion, to heck with being modest! She flung off her tired towel robe and slipped the silk on. It covered her like a dream. It glided gently down her skin, just like a second skin. Luxurious is what it was! Hermione had been planning to save it for a special day (her birthday), but today! Today was as special as her birthday, taking an additional fluffy pink towel with sweet flowers, she entered the bath. The accommodations were breathtaking. Sparkly clean with marble and statues, a full running round shaped bath was awaiting her.

Hermione twisted her large hair into a high bun, allowing some curls to trickle near her face. She looked pretty like that, sensual even, especially with the new silk robe. However she rarely wore her hair like that, she did not want the attention.

After she was done with her bath, she wiped the water off and slipped back into her new silk. Tossing her towel onto the rack, she grabbed her new Potions book and settled into a cushy sofa in the common room.

3 hours passed before she looked up to find Draco Malfoy staring at her.

"ARGH!" came the second exclamation of the day.

"Are you trying to scare the living daylights out of me Malfoy?!"

"God Granger, what the hell are you still reading at 2 a.m. in the morning?!" he sneaked a peak at her book, "Potions Advanced?! Granger, we haven't even got one lesson in yet."

"It's always good to be prepared and one step ahead!" Hermione rebutted.

"Right, trying to steamroll me out of the honor roll are we?" Draco sneered.

Hermione rolled her eyes. She got up and placed her book on the low table nearby. "Well, I'm off to sleep. G'night Ferret."

Just as Draco was about to give a smarmy remark, he noticed the black silk Miss Bookworm had donned. His right eyebrow cocked up. The light from the common room lamp illuminated the light curves of her waist and hips. As her silhouette disappeared into the room, Draco found himself staring.

"A mudblood will always be a mudblood." He reminded himself and set himself to retire to his room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

No more than a whisper.

Morning started with a loud bang. Literally. Followed by a "BOOM!" and then a very screechy "OWW!".

Hermione jumped out of bed, still dazed by the lack of sleep. "Malfoy…" she groaned lowly. She was convinced since last night that he was determined to make her life a living hell and it started by ensuring that she got no sleep. Glancing at her magical cuckoo clock, she found it was only 7.08 a.m.

Entering the common room, she found Draco's door slightly ajar. She peeped in and found him hopping about wildly while muttering curses not-so-under his breath. Hermione started to laugh softly. Catching her giggly sounds, Draco turned to glare at her and he stopped jumping around. "Not funny Granger." he hissed.

As he put his feet gingerly on his Persian imported carpet, she saw his big toe was bleeding. Looking up inquiringly, Draco answered gruffly, "Stubbed it badly against my suitcases."

For all her years at Hogwarts, being teased, tormented verbally and even at times physically pushed by Draco Malfoy, the sworn bane of her existence, you would think that she would throw her head back in laughter and pure, unadulterated mockery for his clumsiness, stalk away, nose miles up in the air.

Alas, Hermione Granger, being true to her Gryffindor personality, which was kindness and compassion, entered Draco Malfoy's room, bent down and tended to his afflictions. Draco didn't know whether it was when she had washed his wound with a bowlful of cool water or if it was when she gently wrapped his toe with soft cloth that shocked him.

As with all good love-story-moments, this was what happened.

Draco was seated on his elegant rare dark wood, four-poster bed, the green translucent shades drawn to the side. While tut-tutting and lecturing him about his alleged act of clumsy footwork, Hermione conjured an alabaster bowl of clear cooling water. She lifted his hurt right foot and gently lowered it into the bowl. Cupping water into her palms, she dribbled the water first slowly over the split flesh. Draco winced in pain. She blew gently onto his feet. He shivered involuntarily.

While she continued to wash the wound with gentle strokes and fingers, he inspected the scene before him. "Granger," he thought to himself, "is washing my feet."

Then, with well-trained Malfoy habits, he added, "At least now she knows who her betters are." He grinned at this. (Grinned!)

He let his gaze drift down her face. Something was different about her today. Ah, it's the hair. Hermione's hair was in a haphazardly made up bun, but it was the sort of French-sexy-i-just-woke-up kind of look. Her curls looked gentle as well. A few loose strands were floating beside her face. The black silk robe from the night before was caressing her gentle figure, but she had put it on hurriedly when she heard the yelp from Draco and this resulted in the silk hanging loosely off one shoulder, exposing her soft baby pink lace bra.

Draco sucked in his breath and swallowed his saliva. Hermione mistook this as a wince of pain. "Am I hurting you?" she enquired.

"No. No…" was all he could say. (Ha! Another first!)

She resumed her washing.

When she proceeded to wrap a bandage around his toe, he was examining her silk. Draco Malfoy was a rich boy. He knew about things rich and luxurious. This silk was fine, well made and very expensive. Plus not to mention, black.

What a sinful colour Hermione wore. Dark, ravishing, even sensuous-evil. He never expected to see her in black silk. Red or orange towel robes maybe as those were the Gryffindor house colours, but never black silk. It made her look so dominating yet subservient as she bent over to help him bandage his foot. He felt himself slipping in a trance despite his own Malfoy-controlled thoughts. He heard his father's voice booming down on him, "What?! You! My son! A Malfoy lusting after a mudblood?!" He heard it loud and clear, could almost feel the angry hot breathe pouring down his neck like cold fire, but as he continued to stare at Hermione bent over, caring (?!) for him, his eyes seemed to glaze over.

His father's voice got further and further, till it was no more than a whisper.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 1

Chapter 3

Mr. Do Not See, Hear or Speak Evil and some Very Special Magic.

It took all of Draco's Malfoy-wits and will not to gape at Hermione Granger with the tongue of a hungry dog. He couldn't believe it. He nearly lost himself there, as his father's resounding warning came crashing back down onto his shoulder's like a ton of bricks, he found himself shaking the water off his feet, mumbling a muffled "Thanks, k' bye", and hobbling out of the room at fast as his injured feet could take him.

But.

Hermione was faster. Having the advantage over the enemy by means if having two fully functional feet, she took him arm and helped him into the bath which adjoined their rooms. He furrowed his eyebrows and seethed through his teeth "Just because you're helping me doesn't mean I owe you anything."

"I don't want anything," Hermione replied, "yet." She added, with just the slightest bit of evil in her voice.

She lowered him into the bath gently and drew the curtains around the tub. "I'll come in if you need anything else."

As she left the room, Draco rubbed his temples furiously. "What was it that Granger wanted?!" He concluded to himself that she possibly would not be acting THIS nice to HIM, her number one wizard enemy, without wanting something.

Draco gave a frustrated sigh as he reached out for his shampoo. Darn it! He thought, too damn far away. The bottle was just inches from his fingertips. He could have charmed it to walk to him but he hadn't had the time yesterday nor had he his wand now. He hoisted himself on the edge of the bathtub and reached.

Except, he kicked a pail which had previously contained his loofah and back scrub, now it had not only emptied all its contents onto the marble floor but had announced its fall with a resounding CLANG!! CLINK CLUNG!! Draco cursed not too silently. He didn't have time to dwell on the misdemeanors of his toiletries, or rather his bath-e-tries, as at that precise moment, Hermione Granger ran into the bathroom, shoving the gold weaved shower curtains aside, and to the most spectacular scene she had ever seen in her life.

Well, spectacular was one word, I guess, to describe what she saw. Shocking was a word as well, it went hand-in-hand with jaw dropping- well, ESPECIALLY jaw dropping, if you wanted to take it in your mouth. Whoops. I digress. Well, if you hadn't guessed by now, Hermione Granger had simply seen Draco Malfoy's, uh-huh, everything. And yes, including THAT.

I don't know if Hermione was trying to mimic the three Golden Statue Monkeys, you know, the Do not see, hear or speak evil triplets, but she obviously had a fondness for the Mr. Do-Not-See-Evil monkey. She slapped her hands rather hardly onto her eyes, in her attempt to cover; I suspect half-heartedly, the scene which was unfolded-literally in front of her. It stung so badly that she released her eyes from the hand-bind. During which she saw,a-hem that thing again.

"OH FUCK!" Hermione cursed loudly, and rather ironically if you asked me, for she was one who rarely spoke curse words, which leads me to wonder what she was thinking about doing in the bathroom. Her eyes widened even more (trying to take in every moment in big screen obviously), and she slapped her palm to cover her mouth. Girls must be quite fickle… first Mr. do-not-see, now Mr. do-not-speak.

Anyhow, when Draco spoke again, it happened to come out into a low sort of scream during which, as fickle as girls are, Hermione demonstrated her love for Mr. do-not-hear, she cupped her ears and screamed.

Fate really didn't like Hermione and Draco that morning, too many screams and exclamations that disturbed his peaceful sleep. She attempted to run out.

She slipped.

She fell.

Into Draco's arms.

Naked arms.

Naked body…

(Yes dang-it, I'm envious)- I digress.

She gasped. Not knowing what to do or what a girl did in these situations. She felt Malfoy's chest and his icy blond hair falling onto his eyes. She let her fingers roam up his face and sweep the loose strand behind his right ear. Rather redundant if you ask me, it just fell back down.

No one spoke. No one dared to speak. As he laid her back onto her feet, she turned her back to him. It was almost magical, that moment they had just shared. She was going to fall into the bath and probably get soaked through and through, thoroughly drenched, but just like as though magic had been at work, he scooped her into his arms just before her dress skimmed the soapy water.

However dear reader, there was no magic coming from either of their wands. It was a different kind of magic. Like an everyday thing they would've gone through, if a spill was made, a simple cleaning spell would've been sufficient. If Hermione fell into the water, a drying spell could've made it all better, but what they just experienced, was like how Draco felt when he cast his first successful spell, when he took his first broom-spin in the air. And how Hermione felt when she conjured fire for the first time.

This was a first. Magic without wands.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 1

Chapter Four

Not Even Friends

"Mione! Over here!" Ron Weasley called out loudly, spewing out little bits of potato over Harry's hair. With practiced efficiency, Harry swept the debris off, not making any fuss over the un-hygienic-ity of it all (it wasn't the first time Ron talked over Harry's head with a mouthful of potato).

Hermione grinned and braced herself for all the questions about her first night in the Head-girl's room. However much to her surprise, no one mentioned it all through breakfast. Ginny came over to give her a hug and unloaded all of last night's gossip that she had just heard, Ron banged on and on about his new astronomy dice he received from Bill as a gift and Harry discussed some Potions homework with her. Part of her felt sad that she didn't get any attention about her newly appointed, ultra hard-to-live-up-to Head Girl position, but part of her was also glad that this meant that nothing would change and they would remain the best and closest of friends.

Towards the end of Ron's 5-course breakfast, Harry leaned over, "Hermione, we just want you to know how excited and happy we are for you, and though you have new responsibilities to live up to, we want you to know that the good times will still roll."

"Yes," Ginny added, "we love you Mione! And we're so proud of you!" her eyes were a little moist.

"Yeah, we also need your homework help!" Ron chirped jokingly.

Hermione beamed at her friends. She felt lucky to have a good, trusting circle of comrades. "Thanks guys, this really means a lot to me."

"Ok! I'm done!" Ron half growled half while half wolfing down his bacon and mash.

The group of them gathered up their things hurriedly and made their way to DADA class. As they opened the door, Hermione spotted Malfoy at the side of the class. For just a split second, their eyes met, and a painful averted gaze was affected. Hermione could've blushed to her brown root tips in 5 seconds but Malfoy had beat her to it. He tried to distract himself by staring at the wooden beams in the classroom, the silver cups on the teachers table… the metal grills of the window… Hermione's hair swept to the side… her soft hands…

Oh crap…

Draco rolled his eyes and ruffled his neat hair in frustration. As the lesson drawled on, the lesson ended and it was time for some flying periods. "Finally, some exercise!"

Harry had flying practice too along with Draco. Hermione and Ron followed him to the pitch where Malfoy was just cleaning up his broomstick. As Draco saw the trio approach, he only saw Hermione. Dipping his eyebrows in burden-like fashion, he heaved a sigh as his eyes rolled sideways, willing himself not to think about that morning's incident. He hopped on his broom and sped off up into the air.

He was like that. He loved the feel of the air coursing through his platinum crown. The feel of the fresh atmosphere breezing past as he accelerated higher and higher… no one knew it, but sometimes he would take his broom for a spin during the late evenings and just stay in the air observing the silent sunset through to the night. When the stars were sparkling in the cool night, he'd just lay on the pitch flat out, eagle-spread and enjoy the cool evening breezes when it wasn't too cold, but with the ever increasing pile of responsibilities Draco was now facing, these solitary evening escapades were getting few and far between and he had to come to the crushing realization that one day, he may not be able to do this again.

"ARGH!!" how was that scream familiar? He'd heard it twice before.

Looking down, he saw a terrified figure on a broomstick, zooming up and soon to overtake him, it got closer, closer… isn't that… Hermione?! What in Merlin's name!

"Draco!! Help!!" a regular damsel in distress.

Our similarly regular knight in cloak and dusty broomstick flew to her side. "Hermione!! What are you doing?! Get off now! Land your broom!"

"I… I don't know how to!! Draco help!!" she screeched in reply.

"Reach out! Give me your hand!!" Draco tried as hard as he could to keep pace with Hermione's amok broom while stretching out his arm to her. She grabbed it and Draco flung her over to his broomstick in a smooth pull. She tried to steady herself in front of him.

Draco grabbed onto her waist and held her close to him. Her hands were trembling in fear, he could even feel tears streaming down her cheeks and onto their intertwined hands.

He held her even closer.

"Don't be scared, I won't let you fall. I'm here." He gently assured her. She tried to nod and thank him but her gratitude came out in a hic-cupy-tearing motion.

He made the broom go slowly and gently down onto the ground to a field of gob smacked Gryffindors and Slytherins. Harry and Ron were extremely worried for Hermione and ran to her side to make sure she was ok, but Hermione was so terrified and the trauma in her so great that she was unaware that she was clinging onto the tear soaked shirt of Draco.

It was in the evening in which Hermione started talking again. She was in the common room with Draco when started sobbing softly in the soft candle light as she replayed that afternoon's events. She curled up with her back towards the fireplace and her face to the sofa back. Malfoy took her by her shoulders and lead her face to his. Wordlessly, she stayed on his comforting chest the whole night through till the very next morning.

Sunlight streamed through the crest-shaped window and illuminated soft lights onto Hermione's tear-streaked face. Draco awoke first to find her still lying on him. He shifted slowly and carefully, wanting not to wake her up. Turning to the grand clock in the room, it was only 7.37 a.m. Classes didn't start till 9 for them that day. He relaxed and let her rest for awhile more.

Towards 8, Hermione stirred slightly, she found herself laying herself gently onto Draco's chest again, letting it rise and fall, then rise again and fall again. She didn't know why but somehow this soothed her. Her heartbeats made her feel comforted, letting her palms skim across his shirt, she blinked, thanking him silently for being somewhat of a friend yesterday.

It was 15 minutes to 9 and both of them woke with a start as Crookshanks meowed and growled for his breakfast, well, he did the meowing, his tummy did the growling.

"You ok Her- Granger?" Hermione's face fell, she was downcast. They were back to a last name basis again.

"Uh, yea, I'm fine… Draco." She let his name spill from her mouth. She wanted to do that, after her near-death experience with a broom run amok, she let herself loose and she decided life was too short to be a stuck-up, know-it-all, tight-lipped, tight-pussied girl.

Draco was shocked. Did she just say his name? First name? He ruffled his hair in confusion and frustration. He didn't know why, he just felt frustrated. Like he was trying to restrain himself every time he was near her, but he knew he hated her previously. What happened to that hate, it couldn't just have dissipated. He watched her go into the bathroom in icy silence, hating now himself for letting her go without a word.

She bathed and changed, he bathed and changed second, but even with the head start, she always took longer to get ready. He waited for her outside her room door. As the lock un-clicked and the doorknob turned, he felt his whole heart suddenly coming up to his throat and his stomach tighten. She appeared

"Uh… Granger, I mean, Herm… Granger." Draco still stuttered.

Much to his surprise, instead of getting a heated response he thought to expect, Hermione started shaking her head with her back facing him.

"Stop." She croaked softly.

"Just stop right there Malfoy." She added icily.

His heart sank. Malfoy, again?

"We're nothing more than dorm mates now. Thank you for saving me yesterday. Now we are nothing more. Just forget everything." Her quavering voice pleaded. It pleaded for him to drop the subject and not to pursue about what she just said. She didn't want to break in front of him.

Pursing his lips, he said coldly. "Fine Granger, we're nothing more." He turned his back to her and half-ran half-walked towards the door.

Behind the locked entry in their shared commode, Hermione gripped her mouth with her hand and crying as silently as she could while her face expressed her grief and sadness even more so, as she could not scream nor bawl it out vocally. She let her tears stream silently with only soft gasps as she withdrew her breathe in between sobs.

"We're not even friends!" was the last angry shout she heard from Malfoy before the large door of the dorm slammed and before she let herself sink down the bathroom wall and let her out cries loud.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 1

Chapter Five

Breaking-Point

Ridiculous rumors soon got around the school that Hermione had jinxed the broom that afternoon to gain attention, mostly Malfoy's attention. Much to Hermione's chagrin, most people believed that. Only Harry, Ginny and the Gryfindors sided with her, but even then, behind a few closed doors in the Gryfindor dorm, deceitful tongues wagged and salivated over what was thought to be good gossip.

What had really happened was that Ron had bet with Hermione that she wouldn't dare to get onto a flying broom without chickening out at the last minute, with her dignity and courageousness put on the line, Hermione's logic gave way to hastiness. Without thinking things through, she had leapt onto a free practice broom and it took off without warning. The rest was history.

Ron of course had been extremely sorry about his goading Hermione which led to the awful tales. She, of course, accepted his numerous apologies and tried to ignore the horrible gossip mongers. However, even a talented, stubborn witch can have her downfalls, after all, she was made of flesh and bones with feelings, not cold metal and rock, like what the gossipers must have thought.

Her school-mates teased and stuck their tongues out behind her back. Girls whispered in front of Hermione deliberately. They stalked out when she entered the bathroom, they giggled behind her back in class.

She couldn't take it. She hated Malfoy more than ever.

She became inconsolable.

She would not let Harry and Ron talk to her.

Ginny was very worried about her.

Every night for 2 days, she would sneak around in the library and sleep there till 7 in the morning. She didn't see Draco for 3 days. On the third day she went wandering around the school, pretending to be on duty, however, even if someone was breaking their house curfew along with a few school rules, she merely barked at them to get lost and let them go without taking house points nor dishing out detention. Even with an easy let-go, they didn't dare do it again. Hermione looked and sounded too scary. She was like a wandering ghost, only with a real, tangible strangle-hold. On the fourth day, she did the same, falling asleep in deserted stairwells and before the sun rose, she sneaked into the dorm and tried to freshen up for the school day.

Then came the fifth day of her wanderlust.

Draco waited for her after her last class ended, he dragged her into their common room and threw her fiercely across the plush sofa.

"You've got to stop doing this Granger." He spoke through gritted teeth.

"Ah, fuck you Malfoy."

They stared at each other for 5 cold minutes. If hell could freeze over, it would've happened in that room right there. Impulsively, Draco grabbed her by her school shirt collar. The first sign of life sparked through Hermione's eyes, they widened in shock and fear. He slammed her onto the wall and held her there.

"You, insufferable bitch, get your act together. Fucking disgrace." He spat in her face.

As if he could not break her enough, this just took the cake. She screamed and kicked Draco hard in the shins. This caused quite a nasty bawl from Draco and he let her go, and grabbed a fistful of her brown hair. She bit into his leg and he yelped again.

"You're the worse person EVER Draco Malfoy! And I Hate you!"

SLAM!

The next morning in Potions class, Hermione's hurtful words rang through his ears and replayed in his mind over and over again.

"Now class," Profesor Snape was instructing, "take your specimens over by the shelf and add to it a Jumping DartFrog into the mixture, but be careful! They jump and can cause severe lacerations and damage if your headgear is not on properly. These are very lash-full and aggressive creatures."

Now, as Fate would have it, well, he always got his way. Stupid people, I pair them together and make situations favorable for love to blossom, and they mess things up. Well, desperate times called for desperate measures.

A flicker here, a flutter there, all right. Yes, Jumping DartFrog, leap! Hit Draco in the head, bleed just a little, don't mess up his beautiful face. Yes, yes, careless Crabbe pound Draco in the nose with that metal pan. Wonderful!

A spectacular little build-up scene.

"Draccie!! Oh my baby boy!!" Pansy screeched next to Draco's ear. It only added salt to his injury seriously.

Draco felt like his mind was spinning at 100 knots an hour. He felt so dizzy. He also knew that he had hit the floor when he felt cold hard cement make contact with his palms and posterior. "Draco, Draco!" a warm familiar voice, someone grabbing his arm and steadying his stance.

Fuzzy… images of brown curly hair… Hermione…

"Herm… I'm sorry… I didn't mean it. Was a jerk to you." Draco's slurred speech made little sense to Hermione as she tried to sustain half his body weight under her petite frame, then she realized he was apologizing to her for that morning. She felt her heart soften just a little.

"Its ok Draco, never mind about that, come on, Madam Pomfrey now." Hermione ordered.

"S'ok Herms… baby…I'm great, I take care o' meeself." Nothing Draco said made any sense to the class except to Hermione and she intended to keep it that way.

When she finally half dragged half pulled Draco into Madam Pomfrey's office, Draco was nearly out cold but fought to keep his mind straight, he had to express what he felt, even though he was not really sure himself what it was, he decided to take a chance, he wanted to know if Hermione was willing to take a chance too.

"Hermione?"

"Yes Draco?"

Wordlessly, the moment passed by with both of them, the only two people existing. He held her face close to his as she unconsciously sat on the edge of the bed to level his height. His lips parted slightly, he brought it near to hers. She could feel his breath, he was breathing on her pink lips. She looked and felt both uncertain and scared at the thought of what could be next. He placed his hands behind her neck, cupping a bunch of her hair as well, they got closer, her eyes got wider, and she leaned forward…

Sweets. Her lips felt like soft gummy bears, but firm.

Wine, his lips intoxicated her, he was drunk.

She had to be drunk, that's why she kissed him right? No. She knew the truth, she liked him.

Their first kiss, Hermione's first kiss, Draco's first… er, never mind. Well, he knew then that he wasn't in denial, this was what he wanted, what she hoped for and what they both desired.

Their lips brushed together as they parted from the contact. Suddenly his head didn't hurt so much and her eyes didn't feel too blood-shot from crying the night before.

For the first time in 5 days, they smiled.

"Am I disturbing anything?" Madam Pomfrey inquired, admittedly a little shocked from unusually close proximity in which Hermione and Draco shared.

Hermione leaped a few feet away from Draco as Madam came over to examine Draco's head. She gave him an effective and easy healing spell and bandaged it just in case, also a long lengthy lecture about being careful during experiments.

What Madam Pomfrey failed to see was that while her words were the equivalent of a broken record to other normal students, Draco and Hermione were not just the usual schoolmates anymore, they were two people, a man and a lady, falling for each other slowly but surely, deep into a circle, called love.

While their breaking point was hard, fast and fierce, their revelation at the truth of a bond was drowning out the sounds of Madam Pomfrey's lecture.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 1

Chapter Six

Mr. Winnie and Miss Sweets and their Day Out

The very next day was a Saturday, Draco and Hermione intended to spend the day together. The plan was simple, to stay away from their friends and just keep quietly in their shared common room.

While Hermione was washing up that morning, she felt her fingers mingle to her lips and stay there, relishing the memory of her first kiss. She sighed in bliss; her face fell into a silly-posture. Her cheeks flamed while she giggled softly. She started to move in rhythm to a muggle love song she had started to hum.

As two warm hands started to slip around her waist and soft breath nuzzled her neck, she nearly jumped up in shock till she realized it was Draco. "Hmm, thinking about my expert kissing techniques are we, pet?" Draco whispered huskily into her ear as his teeth grazed her earlobe.

Hermione drew in a sharp breath. She turned to face him, her expression soft and kitten-like. "Draco. I like you."

"Well, that was random. I like you too, sweets."

"Can I call you Porkchops?"

"What?! Do I look like meat to you Mione?" Draco was obviously puzzled by Hermione's sudden spur of spontaneous random-ness.

"Oh, come on! It's a cute nickname." She pleaded.

"No way babe! Can't you think of something else sweets?" He suggested.

"Well, how about Winne?"

"What's Winnie?"

"Well, in the muggle world, Winnie is a very popular children's fantasy character, Winnie the Pooh. I'll show you a picture later. When I was young, I loved reading about him."

"Alright Sweets." Draco grinned. Hermione knew what he was thinking, her name would be Sweets and he would be Winnie.

This was not just any act of random-ness by the two young secret lovebirds; this was an act of defense. They were thinking of the reactions people would have if they found out that they were together. Making up cute nicknames for each other was just one of the precautions they were planning in pretense of a scary situation they faced, people's criticism.

Draco recoiled in mock horror when he saw the picture of Winnie the Pooh.

"Mione! I do NOT look anything like that fat creature! I absolutely refuse to let you call me Winnie!"

"Draco! Hold your tongue! How could you say that about him!" she exclaimed in surprise as she held her beloved children's book protectively against her bosom. Hush baby, Daddy didn't mean to call you fat…

"Sweets, be reasonable. That bear is yellow and has not a spear of handsome, rich fur. If you want to call me something, it should at least be worthy of representing the Malfoy name. And have you seen that belly? I don't have one." He added whilst patting his firm stomach.

"THIS bear, this YELLOW bear is MY childhood HERO." Hermione said while tapping her finger on the illustration of the bear book.

Draco was usually not one to give in easily, but knowing Hermione's stubbornness, he caved in. Rolling his eyes in mock annoyance, he held out both his palms to her in resignation.

"This better mean that I'm your hero Sweets."

"All that and more." Hermione assured as he swept her by her waist and she with her hands cupping the back of his neck.

As she gazed lovingly into his face, and he was swinging her softly around the room, his eyes glanced past the clock.

9.10 a.m…

9.10?!

"Merlin's boxers! We're late for breakfast!" he gasped loudly, simultaneously, he let go of her waist to point at the clock.

"AHH!"

BONK!

Hermione's posterior hit the floor.

Uh-Oh.

"MALFOY!!"

"It's good to see you happy again Herms!" Ginny gushed as she grabbed Hermione in a tight hug.

"I know! I missed being happy along with you."

"Uh, Herm?" Ron spoke timidly.

"Ron, its ok! For the hundredth time, everything is forgiven." Hermione assured Ron that their friendship was still strong.

Breakfast proceeded with Ginny trying to fill Hermione in on everything she missed while she was depressed and missing-in-action with a few interjections from Harry and Ron.

While she was chewing her croissant half-heartedly and peeling the crusts off absent-mindedly, Hermione stole little glances of Draco as he chatted loudly to Blaise and his gang of friends, but he never seemed to notice her and just continued on with his daily life as if nothing ever happened between the both of them, as if he didn't just kiss her before breakfast.

Feeling just a little disillusioned, she left more than half her breakfast on the dish. As she strolled out of the hall, Draco looked up and saw her leave; he also noticed her plate which still had a mountain of food. Following his gaze, Blaise and the rest started making fun and snickering at Hermione and the rest. Draco didn't say a word and just ate faster. "Alright guys, I gotta go now, see you later Blaise!"

"But Draccie!! You just got hereee!" Pansy moaned.

Ignoring her horrible whine, Draco made his way out briskly. He was doing half steps and almost running to the Head common room where he saw Hermione giving the password to their dorm. As he rushed to her, she smiled gently and they both stepped in.

"Why didn't you eat breakfast Sweets?"

"Wasn't very hungry I guess." As Hermione headed towards the big shelf, her fingers skimmed the ridges of the books till she found the title she wanted. As she brought it to her lap, Draco grabbed her hands.

"Come Sweets, let's not waste the day here." He pulled her to his chest.

"What? Draco we have to study, remember we have an important Potion's quiz next Friday and our N.E.W.T.S are coming soon…"

Before Hermione even had time to protest further, Draco conjured up a previously prepared basket and led her by her hand firmly. She smiled worriedly but let her book fall to the floor with its spine facing upwards and pages splayed open.

They crept carefully out the dorm, Draco shrinked the basket and pocketed it carefully in his robes. Hermione tiptoed down the flights of stairs as Draco pretended with an airy shrug to various passerby's that they were just going the same way.

Success!

Amazingly, Hermione and Draco managed to make it through the castle grounds and to come to a secret small spot with herbs and sweet wild flowers scattered around the edges haphazardly. He explained that he had come by this area before and found it to be mostly deserted and no one really knew this area of the school. As she took a deep breath to take in her surroundings, Draco took her hand again and they lay down onto the freshly mown grass flat on their backs.

Vanilla clouds were puffy and made clown faces at them, with the soft blue backdrop; it seemed like a cute kiddy-canvas painting.

Making two L-shapes with her fingers and joining them at either ends to make a rectangle, Hermione started imitating camera-clicking sounds and pretending to be a master photographer capturing scenery pictures. Draco rolled onto his side and supported his head with his palm, he stared at her sideways, obviously bemused. He chuckled at her silliness, he loved her childishness which rarely manifested itself in her intellectual and logical persona, and he adored her grin-ish happy smile.

"Click Click!"

She pretended to wink into her "camera" and take portraits of Draco. Being a sport, his body began to mold into funny poses. First he was a wild and crazy clown, and then he was a fish, and then a stately gentleman. This continued on for several poses, which resulted in two teens rolling onto their bellies laughing hardly.

As Hermione crawled back onto her spot and looked up into the sky again, Draco followed suit. A soft heaven-sent breeze began to flow through them. It was cooling and refreshing, it drifted through them like the softest silk threads on earth. It did not just pass them by in a hurry, but it flowed, it was as though it permeated through their fingers, their toes, their bodies. They shared the same breeze, the same silk, the same breath.

Their chests rose and fell in the same rhythm. Slowly, their fingers crept closer to each other.

Relaxing in each other's presence, the smell of sweet flowers scented the air softly.

Magical. It seemed so magical.

Sometimes silence was the best way of communicating. Though silence is not really silent, it can also be loud with tension, fraught with dangerous vibes, or soothing with love, as was now.

Light soon turned into a soft evening hint, they had their dinner from Draco's surprise basket and conversation by the moon. The peace that had enveloped the both of them would be the first of many to come.

"Winnie? It's been a long, long time since I felt this happy."

"Me too Sweets, me too."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven -Part 1-

Chapter Seven -Part 1-

Private Eyes

"This is so stupid Hermione!"

"Oh hush Winnie… remember, this is for US."

"I really fail to see how this is going to benefit me at all!"

"Well, fine, it's for me really, but think of this of an opportunity to improve our relationship."

"And honestly, how is my dressing up like a GIRL, going to help our already perfect relationship! Pleeease Sweets?" Draco pleaded with both his eyes and puppy-whine. It was no use; Hermione was already pulling the pink sweater with a poodle embroidered on the side over his head.

"It will just prove how much you love me, and how much you'd like to accommodate me for my pleasing."

First it was Winnie, a sissy-fied nickname. Now this, it really took the cake. His anger could have boiled over a hundred degrees if it were someone else, but it wasn't, this was Hermione, his love. Things he would usually get upset about paled into unimportance when he saw Hermione, they not only shared a mutual likeness to each other romantically, but they had a strong connection.

It was hard to describe, they just had that special feeling towards each other, and when you have that between two people, even if you have had a horrible history before, it does not really matter anymore once you love each other. Of course for outsiders like their sets of friends, Sweets and Winnie, oh, I mean Draco and Hermione, suspected that they would not be as understanding.

However, leaving sad notes aside, on that beautiful day, Hermione was in such a good mood, she scrambled through their trunks and drawers and extracted muggle CDs and a portable CD player. She laid it on her dresser where Draco was sitting in a cute dress with the afore-mentioned pink poodle sweater. Popping the lid of the player, she slid one CD in and hit Play.

Slow, sappy love tunes streamed out from the player. As Hermione hummed to them and tried to knot little cute tails from Draco's hair, he observed her from the vanity mirror. Her spirit was strong and beautiful. When he looked at her, he saw someone he could possibly love for the rest of his years and not just some girl who could benefit him or his status (in fact, she might be rather un-beneficial).

"Love is a two way street. Do not expect from the other person. Instead, think of how to love her, how my love could make her stronger."

That was the mental note Draco had scribbled in his mind. He never truly got any real lessons about love when he was younger and still a child as his father was away with Death-Eaters half the time and his mother, well, though his mother did love him and tried to protect him from the wrath of Lucius, she was still mostly subdued by his father. And when you have to fear for yourself and your son along with a whole smorgasbord of personal afflictions and problems, its hard to impart the amount of love, care and warmth any child truly desired and needed. Besides, being a Death-Eater did not sound like a very love-orientated vocation to have your father heavily involved in.

Casting his thoughts about his family aside, his thoughts led him to his realization about how much he had changed through the past 2 weeks. He felt he had grown up more in that duration than his whole life.

There was indeed more to life than just hating mudbloods.

There was kissing, hugging, touching and fantasizing…

And of course, there was loving Hermione Granger A.K.A Sweets.

If anyone had foretold to Draco that he would be falling in love with Hermione, his now ex-nemesis, being called Winnie willingly, made to wear girl clothes for a Masquerade Party, making mental notes on LOVE, rethinking his life agenda… well, you could have knocked him over with a feather!

Did he regret it?

No. For once in his life, he felt that he had stepped out to make a decision of his own. Something led by mostly his heart feelings and partly brain logic. Not some blasted previously arranged life path, mapped out by his father.

He had overturned the tables. He detoured. He felt Free.

"Draco? I'm done with your hair. Now I have to get a boy's outfit. Can you lend me something?"

His eyes widened in shock as he absorbed his reflection off the mirror. His brow wrinkled in distress and mouth went stiff.

"Hermione… I'm going to be laughed at so badly!"

He had on a yellow sun-flower dress with a pink sweater, two small ponytails scrunched at the side of his head and lavender-coloured makeup. His lashes were curled slightly as well.

"Well, as Head-Boy you have just got to be a good sport! Besides, remember the Masquerade party was both our ideas!"

"_I_ suggested a Masquerade Party, _YOU_ suggested the girls to dress as boys and boys to dress as girls!"

"Exactly! And everyone else liked both ideas so they got combined!" Hermione chimed.

As Draco's lips pursed sourly, she added pointedly, "Besides, doesn't it sound symbolic?" Her eyebrows rose hopefully, that Draco might get her meaning.

He brightened up at that. "I hope this works, I really do." He pulled her into his embrace. Even though they had only 30 more minutes to find an outfit for Hermione, she laid down to rest her head on his skirt-dressed lap.

He tucked her loose hairs behind her ear soothingly.

His fingers were smooth and gentle to her and both of them found that she loved it when he did this hair tucking. It relaxed and could lullaby her into sleep. Sort of like a soft, nice kind of tickling.

Hermione had never felt more loved and happy in her life.

"Come on Herms, let's find something for you to wear."

"Oh, come on, a little while more? Its nice like this, can we not go to the party?"

Draco wore an amused look on his face. "Hermione Granger, Head-Girl of Hogwarts, wanting to skip a school function for me? Wow, you must be going rotten girl!"

"You're right, you must be rubbing off on me in all the wrong ways." She chuckled in reply.

She leaped gently off his lap and trotted to his wardrobe. Opening the hard wood doors, she was greeted by strong whiffs of Draco's scent. It turned her on, she did not know why.

Browsing through his clothes made her feel giggly, like a little schoolgirl. Images of Draco in the fine clothes, material gracing his skin, she blushed wildly.

With her cheeks flushing, she tried to ignore her imaginations. The back of her palms pressed against her hot cheeks, trying to dissipate the heat emitting from her crimson colour.

Fingering soft silky material, she drew out a set of ties which she chose carefully to match the fine tailored shirt which Draco stemmed out for her. The pants were a stumbling block for her as she tried to find a pair which would not serve more of a sweeping-the-floor purpose.

Settling on a pair of knee-length pants, she slipped the ensemble quickly, thinking quickly, she grabbed a cap and tucked her thick mass of curls under it.

Draco was fidgeting.

"Winnie, stop pacing! Come on, it's time for us to open the ball."

Choosing to ignore any protests, she dragged Draco Malfoy, now clad in all the pinkness in the world, down the stairs and into the rooms before the halls. They, as heads, had duties to fulfill, one being to start the annual theme-party.

-End of Part 1-


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